Funding for University of Auckland Business School Research Finalised

The International Centre for Entrepreneurship Foundation has finalised its funding for the University of Auckland Business School (UABS) to conduct research, staff development and knowledge building for the 2013 year.

The funding totals to $100,000 and will be forward toward a number of projects which will benefit the landscape in New Zealand for business growth.

The International Centre for Entrepreneurship Foundation is a charitable trust and the parent of The Icehouse.

CEO of The Icehouse Andy Hamilton says the funding from the International Centre for Entrepreneurship further strengthens the ties between The Icehouse and the University and helps both organisations work toward the goal of lifting the NZ economy by helping businesses to develop and grow.

“As we drive forward each day working with owners to create progress in their businesses, we need to be constantly researching and developing in the background to ensure we provide those businesses with the very best expertise and thought leadership.”

“The funding from the International Centre for Entrepreneurship Foundation allows The University of Auckland Business School to undertake leading research, the findings from which will directly benefit Kiwi SME owner managers as this knowledge base is built and disseminated,” he says.

Professor Greg Whittred, Dean of UABS says “The Business School and the Icehouse are aligned around the significance of the Owner-Manager/SME sectors to New Zealand and this commitment to research is aimed at directly benefitting these sectors.  It is fantastic that the Icehouse is now in a position to contribute in this way.  “

The funding proposal was developed by Associate Professor Christine (Chris) Woods and Dr Deb Shepherd who will be leading the projects.

Both Chris and Deb facilitate The Icehouse Owner Manager Programme and along with The Icehouse are deeply committed to enabling and growing SME business in New Zealand.

The funding will be allocated to the following projects:

1)      Fellowship for extending UABS Staff involvement with Icehouse programmes

2)      Diagnostic tool and database development for SME business growth factors

3)      Indigenous Social Enterprise

A partnership in which the University and Maori work together to achieve their shared aspiration which includes defining what is an ‘indigenous social enterprise’ as well as benchmarking these initiatives.

4)      NZ Family Business in the International arena

This ties into the UABS strategic theme of succeeding in international markets. This broader project will seek to understand the internationalisation of SMEs in NZ from a variety of different lenses: ‘traditional’ SMEs transitioning from domestic to international markets; recent immigrant entrepreneurs to NZ operating their businesses in international markets; family businesses in international markets; and fast-growth businesses (born global) in the international arena.

The 2013 research funds will be used to pay for Research Associate, Dr Henry Shi in collaboration with Deb Shepherd, to complete the initial literature review and in-depth interviews with 3 family businesses (e.g. Carr Agricultural, Babich Wines, Overland Shoes) by February 2014 as well as build a more detailed research agenda for a 2-year Post-Doctoral fellowship in International entrepreneurship.

5)      Academic Entrepreneurship: UABS & The Icehouse

Deb Shepherd and Chris Woods to present at the ANZAM conference, Dec 2013

Academic Entrepreneurship at the Edge: Resistance as an enabler and inhibitor

This funding will contribute the costs of the attending the ANZAM conference.  This work is part of a broader research agenda exploring academic entrepreneurship, the opportunity to present and receive feedback at this conference will be valuable

6)      Understanding the pedagogical underpinnings of The Icehouse business growth programmes                

This funding will support a research assistant to complete a literature review in the area of business growth education for SMEs and SME owner managers. This will contribute to a paper on the pedagogical development of The Icehouse Business Growth programmes that will be co-authored by Deb Shepherd and Chris Woods.

David Irving, Chair of the Foundation stated:

“It is our pleasure to provide this funding to the researchers in entrepreneurship and business growth at the University of Auckland Business School. The Foundation hopes to be able to provide this level of funding on an annual basis”.